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Old 06-17-2017, 12:32 PM   #24
jason taylor
 
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
Default Re: [Basic] Skill of the week: Strategy and Tactics

Quote:
Originally Posted by acrosome View Post
As a product of a military educational system, I'd support having specializations for Strategy such as (Grand) and (Operational). The latter probably needs to sub specialize by type (land, naval, etc.), though there is a lot of cross-training.

The real problem, as always, is in figuring out when you need to use Tactics and when you need to use Strategy (Operational). A fair rule of thumb for game purposes is probably something like "If you have to worry about logistics, it's Strategy."
Most of the stuff they have now spews out ordinance at such a rate that even sergeants have to worry about logistics. Of course that is not telling as in a counterinsurgency even subalterns and non-coms have to worry about diplomacy too and diplomatic considerations are more likely with strategy then tactics. That is what is meant by the saying "strategic corporal". But the point is made. Nobody is immune to logistic considerations.

There are a number of tactical decisions that have to do with logistics. Getting ammo forward for instance. Or conserving it. Stopping to rest, or eat, or relieve waste(the last is never mentioned but must in fact be a critical decision at times). These are all decisions that would probably go under the heading of logistics but they are also taken at the tactical level.
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